Eagle Lake First Nation Response to Initial Project Description

We are writing with respect to the Initial Project Description (“IPD”) of the Nuclear Waste Management Organization’s (“NWMO”) Deep Geological Repository (“DGR”) (“Project”), which was posted on the Canadian Impact Assessment Registry (“Registry”) on January 5, 2026.

Eagle Lake First Nation (“ELFN”) is primarily affected by the Project, and this Project would be in our Territory. We do not dispute that this Project is within the Territory of Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation but rather that it is also in the Territory of ELFN.

We have formally requested for years that ELFN be recognized as a host community for the DGR and this request has been repeatedly ignored without any justification under law. We requested that this impact assessment (“IA”) be put on hold until the legal case which we were forced to bring, based on the decision to site the project in ELFN Territory without ELFN being recognized as a host community and without ELFN consent, is decided.

Commencing and proceeding with the IA now, presumes we will either lose our case or that our Nation will consent to the Project being in ELFN territory, both of which assumptions are highly prejudicial.

NWMO and Canada continue to ignore and disrespect ELFN. We are participating in this IA under duress, as ELFN does not agree that the IA should be proceeding. We are basically being forced into doing this to ensure any protection of our rights, jurisdiction and lands.

To this point there has been no honourable conduct from Canada or the NWMO with respect to this Project and ELFN does not in any way consider that the constitutional duty to consult and accommodate ELFN is being met or that Canada is upholding their obligation to act honourably towards ELFN.

Despite these significant issues and concerns, ELFN will be providing our review and response to the IPD in due course.